Hanging shelves.



Patented May 29, 1917.

L. T. WILSON.

HANGiNG SHELVES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 12. 1915.

dww

L. T. WILSON.

HANGING SHELVES. 7

APPLICATION FILED APR. 12, 9]5- L gfij o Patented May 29, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

fiyi 344W imw'a Zmhm LOUIS T. WILSON, 0F BISBEE, ARIZONA.

HANGING SHELVES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May as, 191?.

Application filed April 12, 1915. Serial No. 20,784.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, LOUIS T. lVILsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bisbee, in the county of Cochise and State of Arizona, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hanging Shelves, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to hanging shelves designed for supporting music sheets, talking machine records, books, blanks, etc, and its object is to provide a device of this kind which is simple in construction and which, when in position for use, takes up a minimum amount of space.

The invention also has for its object to provide a shelving of the kind stated which is strong and durable, and which, when not in use, may be folded into small and compact form.

The herein stated objects are attained by means of a novel combination and arrange ment of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed, and in order that the same may be better understood, reference is bad to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of the device;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. at is an elevation, showing the device folded, and

Fig. 5 is an elevation illustrating a modification.

In carrying out the invention there is provided a series of shelves 10 of rectangu lar outline, which are supported in vertically spaced relation by chains or other suitable flexible connections 11, the latter being fixed in any suitable manner to the corners, and the rear and side edges of the shelves. Between the connections at the front and rear corners of the shelves extend diagonal brace connections 12 which are also flexible. All the shelves except the top one may be made of woven wire provided with an edge reinforcement as shown. The top shelf is a sheet metal plate having downturned marginal flanges, and to said top shelf are connected suspension devices 13 connected at'their outer ends to a ring 14. The device is designed to be hung on a nail driven into the wall, or it may be suspended from the ceiling .or some other overhead support. The shelves may be provided with index characters to expedite the search for the records, sheets or other articles filed away under an appropriate head or letter.

Figs. 1 to 4 illustrate a double shelving suspended from a top shelf 15 which is in two sections connected by a hinge joint 16. When the device is in position for use the two top shelf sections are side by side and a series of shelves 10 is located beneath each section, said series being separate and not connected. Thus, when the device is not in use, the top sections may be folded back to back and the respective series of shelves 10 placed on opposite sides thereof, as shown in Fig. 4. The flexible connections between the shelves 1O permit the latter to be placed close together when folded, and the folded device therefore assumes a small and compact form.

Each shelf, except the top one, has a slight rearward incline or dip, and its front edge has an inward curve 17 to facilitate the removal of the sheets, records or other articles. The shelves need not be constructed of woven wire. Perforated sheet metal plates or any other suitable light material may be used. If desired, a curtain may be employed to inclose the shelves and exclude dust. The device takes up very little room and it efiectually serves the purpose for which it is designed.

Fig. 5 shows a single shelving the elements of which are constructed and mounted in the same manner as in the device hereinbefore described, and also foldable in the same way.

I claim The combination of a series of shelves arranged in vertically spaced relation, flexible connections between the shelves at the rear and at the front and rear corners of the side edges thereof, and a plurality of flexible diagonal braces extending between the top shelf and the connections at the front corners of the shelves, and between the connections at the rear corners of the shelves and the bottom shelf, and also between the connections at the front and rear corners of the shelves and crossing the ends of the latter.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

LOUIS T. WILSON.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained. for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, 1). C. 

